Dec 16, 2013

AmericasMart Accelerates Gourmet, Housewares and Tabletop Growth

AmericasMart’s Gourmet & Housewares and Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories collections will delight buyers with an exceptional spectrum of top new product and extend its commitment to the culinary community with a new signature event at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® in January 2014.

“Tabletop and Housewares items are definitely in demand and on trend for a broad range of retailers,” says Kristi Forbes, vice president of gourmet, housewares, tabletop & gift. “AmericasMart’s continued leadership in this segment has allowed us to increase the depth and breadth of our lines and to further support the culinary community.”

Driving the growth in AmericasMart’s Gourmet & Housewares collection is an expanded showroom for Sherry Matthews Marketing LLC and new showrooms for Chef’N Corporation, Gourmac, Magefesa USA, Typhoon Homewares LLC and Lancaster Commercial Products LLC.

The Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories collection is highlighted by new showroom growth alongside expansions, relocations and updates of longtime AmericasMart exhibitors. Joining the collection for the January Market are Spartina 449 and Julia Knight, Inc. Welcome Home, LLC and Rosse & Associates, Inc. expand their spaces as Jason Products Ltd. and Keller-Charles of Philadelphia relocate to Floor 8. Exciting exhibitor updates include a completely redesigned showroom for Jay Strongwater/ MacKenzie-Childsand new owners for Lazy Susan USA Inc.

AmericasMart confirms its commitment to the culinary community with a new special event “Culinary Futures: Helping Tomorrow’s Professional Grow” to raise funds for Les Dames d’Escoffier International – Atlanta Chapter, a philanthropic society dedicated to fostering women in culinary and hospitality professions. The event, hosted in partnership with Cook’s Warehouse, Harold Import Co. and Dugan Bliss, features a cocktail hour and silent auction and is open to all buyers and exhibitors. It takes place on Thursday, January 9 from 6 – 8 p.m. in the Fashion Theater on Building 3 Floor 15. Single tickets are $75, each additional is $50. Tickets will be available for purchase at door.

AmericasMart’s internationally renowned Gourmet, Housewares and Tabletop collection is brought to life by live cooking demonstrations from national culinary stars and presentations by entertaining experts.

Highlights of Market programming include:

· “A Taste of Bacchanalia” presented by Chef Anne Quatrano, executive owner of Bacchanalia, sponsored by Le Creuset. Known for her deep-rooted care for ingredients and technique, Chef Quatrano creates her signature dishes in the new Le Creuset Palm color. Thursday January 9. 2 p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

· “Picture Perfect Parties” presented by Annette Joseph, celebrity entertaining expert and author. “The Today Show” entertaining expert demonstrates her stylish solutions for entertaining with panache. Thursday, January 9. 3 p.m. Building 2, Floor 9, Seminar Room.

· “Marcus Samuelsson’s New American Table” presented by Marcus Samuelsson of Food Network’s “Chopped All Stars: Judges Remix.” Samuelsson shares recipes from his cookbook, “The New American Table,” which takes a journey through the inspired food of the United States, his beloved adopted country. Friday, January 10. 1 p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

· “Wine Tasting with Georg Riedel.” In a unique tasting and glass discussion, Georg Riedel, head of Riedel and 10th generation glassmaker, will demonstrate the relationship between the shape of a glass and perception and enjoyment of wines. Cost is $50 per person. Registration is available at www.AmericasMart.com/wine. Friday, January 10. 3 p.m. Building 3, Floor 15, Fashion Theatre.

· “Picture Perfect Starters: Straight from the Garden” presented by Annette Joseph, celebrity entertaining expert and author. From extraordinary tablescapes to delicious and easy recipes, Joseph teaches how to create and host a picture perfect party from farm to table featuring easy recipes that are perfect for spring. Saturday, January 11. 1p.m. Building 2, Floor 8, Demonstration Kitchen.

For more information about the Gourmet & Housewares and Living & Entertaining: Gifts, Tabletop & Accessories collections and Market events, please visithttp://www.americasmart.com/jan-2014.

ABOUT AMERICASMART

AmericasMart Atlanta is the nation’s only global wholesale marketplace housing the world’s single-largest collection of home, gift, area rug and apparel merchandise. The largest of AmericasMart’s 14 annual Markets and shows, The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta International Area Rug Market in January and July are the ignition switch for global retailing with buyers from every U.S. state and more than 90 countries discovering product in more than 1,400 showrooms and more than 2,500 temporary exhibiting companies. ICON HONORS, the home and gift industry’s most celebrated recognition program, is produced and staged annually by AmericasMart.

Located in downtown Atlanta, the AmericasMart complex contains more than seven million square feet of space. It’s a huge global stage on which manufacturers, designers and sales representatives unveil new lines, launch new designs and introduce new categories – all for the benefit of buyers seeking all that is fresh and first in the home, rug, gift and apparel arenas. For more information, please visitwww.AmericasMart.com. Follow us @AmericasMartATL or @AtlantaApparel.